Exercising and stretching device



Feb. 6, 1940. J. J. LEE

- EXERCISING AND STRETCHING DEVICE Filed Dec. 12, 1938 ATTORNEYS.

Patented Feb. 6, I940 John J.Leemos mige esoauf; j h Application December 12, 1 938, se ialNdfmspsal (Cl'.-"2 72 j- 80) l h 1 email; This invention relates to. an.- exercising "and stretchingdevice for improving nerve, joint and circulatory conditions in the cervical, cranial and upper thoracic regions of the human body.

Abnormal cervical conditions, such as subluxations of cervical vertebra and contracted ligaments, in certain cases interfere with circulation and nerve function in such away as to produce various ailments, among them headaches, disorders ofhearing and abnormal brain.

conditions. It is an object of this inventionto provide a means whereby anyone troubled with himself or herself to such conditions can aid relieve them. I

Other objects, advantages and features of the invention may hereinafter appear. Referring to the accompanying drawing,

"illustrates what is at present deemed to be a preferred embodiment of the invention,

Fig. 1 is an elevational view, slightly in perspec- I endlessband, its lower part 3! being adapted to fit under the occiput when the head. harness is tive, showing the device per se except that a fragment of the support therefor is included in the view. I

Fig. 2 is a like view, on asomewhat smaller scale, showing the device in its operative position. Referring in detail to the drawing, the main parts of the device are a head harness l0, a flexible member ii, a hanger 52 for suspending the device from an overhead support. l3, and the upper member H and lower member 15, the'two latter members serving as a means .to connect said member H with said, hanger I2 and head harness ID in order that said member may be utilized manually to exert varying lifting force upon said headharness.

By preference and as shown, the members I! and i5 for guiding the cord or other flexible member, H, are constructed as follows: The upper member if comprises a stifi wire having at its upper end a rightangularly shapedhook I8 furnished with a sharp, downwardly directed Although said guide 22 is a sheave in the sense.

, of guiding and aiding to support weight by means of the member i I, yet said member does not engage the grooved part of the guide but, instead, passes loosely through the smooth, beveled aperture 23 of said guide. Below its coil 2| the wire I! is furnished at its lower extremity with an eye 24 which one end of the flexible member or cord H is attached. When the device is in its operative position the portion thereof superjacent to its coiled portion 2! extends vertically upward,

which i anclthe portionithereof immediately below; said I coiled .1 portion: extends :1 vertically. downward. Thatlis to say, the portionsbfthewire adjacent to its said coil are continued inopposite directions, and the coil extends through a complete,

unbroken circumference, thus producing a very stable seat by which the guide 22 is securely locked in place. i

The lower cord guidingmember l 5 likewise has a coiled stiff wire portion 24 which grips aguide or pulley-like member 25 having through it a smoothly rounded aperture 26 through which the member I i freely runs. The coiled portion of the i Q lifting member I5 is formed with intermediate crossed limbs 21, each of said limbs .having a terminal portion 28 which is directed toward that of the other in order that an upper loop 3|] with which the head harness is furnished, may thus be supported.

Said head harness 1oop.30forms part of an fortable. The looped band portions 3| and 32 are sufiiciently broad to press comfortably. against described.

The spur l9 provides a secure anchorage for the hanger member l2.

. the occiput and submaxillary regions even when The auxiliary loop 32, which underlies the chin when the device is in use, is made to extend down occiput and which forms a part of the endless main loop. Hence, when upward traction is applied to the head harnessby means of the flexible member I I, the normal posture of thehead-is not disturbed.

As shown in Fig. 1, the anchored end run 35 which is tied to the eye 24,

a middle 'run36, (the portion of the member made up by said runs 35 and. 36 passing loosely through the lowerguide 25) and after said member passes through the upper guide 22 it ter- .minates in a free. end portion 31 which extends member H has an 3 4o farther than the loop 33 which passes below the harness. Therefore the user can, by pulling upon the cord portion 31, apply a moderate lifting force to his head sufiicient to relax the tissues of his neck, or by exerting a stronger pull upon the cord at positive stretching of the neck tissues may be produced.

The value of this exercise may be increasedby pullingupon the cord first with one hand and then with the other and also by tilting the head from front to back or from side to side while operating the cord.

. As the muscles of the arms have their origins, in part, in the basal portion of the cervical region, the use of the arms in pulling upon the cord aids in improving the circulation through the neck simultaneously with the beneficial effects of the varying lifting force being appl ed to the head.

By using the centrally apertured peripherally grooved guides 22 and 25, of a non-rotatable character and held in place by wire coils extending around them, the cost of manufacture is lowered to such an extent as to place the device,

through said guide.

portions adjacent, thereto being continued in opposite directions, a flexible member which ex tends loosely through said aperture of said guide and has one of its ends secured to said eye, and a lifting member for supporting a head harness,

said lifting member having an aperture through which loosely passes the portion of said flexible member between said eye and the aperture JOHN J. LEE. 

